The Best Years of Our Lives
by Misha
Summary: Life after the Miracle on Ice is just as exciting as the months that led up to it. Sequel to Of Dreams and Miracles
1. Prologue: Looking Back

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

Disclaimer- Not mine, most of the characters own themselves. Elizabeth and Kathleen and some of the others are the products of my imagination. Everything else belongs to someone else. I'm not making any money off this, so please don't sue me.

Author's Notes- Here it is, the sequel to "Of Dreams and Miracles". It actually starts near the end of "Of Dreams and Miracles", at the beginning of the Olympics and continues on from there covering a period of twenty-four years. This story actually focuses on Kathleen and Mark and their story, though you will see and hear a fair about Jack and Liz, I promise. Well, that's all for now, enjoy!

Summery- Life after the Miracle on Ice is just as exciting as the months that led up to it.

Pairing- Mark/Other, Jack/Other.

Rating- PG-13

* * *

Prologue- Looking Back

_St, Paul, Minnesota  
September of 2004_

"Mom, tell me a story." Kathleen Johnson looked at her daughter in amusement. "Beth, you're almost eighteen. Aren't you a little old for bedtime stories?"

Kathleen sighed faintly as she said the words, she couldn't believe that her little girl was so old. It seemed like only yesterday that she was meeting Mark for the first time, now their oldest child was all grown up, where had the years gone?

"Maybe, but I leave for college tomorrow." Elizabeth, better known to the world as Beth, reminded her softly.

"I don't need to be told." Kathleen commented, sighing louder this time. It didn't seem possible, yet it was. Her little girl was old enough to be going away to college.

"So what story do you want?" Kathleen asked with an indulgent smile. She and Beth were in Beth's room, which had all been packed up in preparation for the next day, just talking as they often did.

"I want you to tell me about you and Dad." Beth declared. Kathleen laughed. "Beth, you know the story."

She and Mark often told their children the story of their courtship, which the kids found fascinating. Mainly because it revolved around Mark winning an Olympic gold medal.

"I know the kid version." Beth retorted. "But I want the whole story now. Not just the fact that you met when Dad was preparing for the Olympics, that you fell in love, got married and had four kids. No, I want the whole story."

Kathleen paused and then nodded. "I guess, that's fair. You're not a little girl anymore."

She and her daughter had a very open relationship and she guessed it was natural that Beth wanted the full story of her parents courtship. Most of it wasn't a secret, but there were a few parts that had been left out in previous tellings.

Kathleen paused, letting the memories was over her. Such a very long time ago now.

She looked at her daughter and thought of the other Elizabeth, the first Elizabeth, who was so very much a part of the story. Almost as much as Kathleen herself.

"You know that we met through my best friend, Elizabeth Brooks, who you were named for." Kathleen began.

Beth nodded. "Yeah. Her father was the coach right?"

"Yes." Kathleen answered. "That was in the fall of 1979 and we began dating, casually at first. But by the time the Olympics came around, I had started to fall hard and luckily, your father felt the same way..."

* * *


	2. Part One: Arrival in Lake Placid

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part One- Arrival In Lake Placid  
  
_Lake Placid, New York  
February 1980_  
**  
_The XII Winter Olympics, Day One_**

Kathleen made her way to the Olympic Village, along with Patti, Kelly and Danny Brooks. They were staying in a hotel, a few miles away, but they were going to meet up with Herb and Liz.

Kathleen couldn't believe that she was actually at the Olympics and more than that, she knew some of the athletes. In fact, she was dating one of the athletes.

Kathleen couldn't believe that. She didn't date, she had encounters, but now she was dating. In fact, she was also falling pretty hard.

Kathleen watched Liz greet her mother and sister, then claimed her best friends attention. 

"I'm glad you're here." Liz said, giving her a hug. 

"Me too." Kathleen said with a smile.

"Liz, why don't you and Kathleen go catch up." Patti suggested. "I'll see you later."

"Thanks Mom." Liz said, giving her a mother a quick hug before she and Kathleen left and headed towards where the team was staying. They made their way to Liz's room.

"Okay, so what's going on?" Kathleen demanded, as soon as they got there.

"What makes you think that there's something going on?" Liz asked, sounding defensive.

Kathleen rolled her eyes. "Because I know you?"

Liz sighed. "Yeah. So what do you want to know?"

Kathleen sat down on the bed. "I want to know everything that's happened sine the last time we talked." Kathleen said, then looked at Liz. "So?"

"Okay, you know about Jack's injury, right?" LIz asked.

Kathleen nodded, she'd heard about that. There was a lot of talk going around about it, most people assumed that O'Callahan was probably off the roster and Kathleen knew if that was true, then Liz would be devastated. "Yeah. That I heard about before we got here. Is he okay?"

"Doc said he should be fine in about a week." Liz told her. "He's still on the roster." 

"That's good." Kathleen said with a smile. "Right?" 

She couldn't imagine why it wouldn't be, yet Liz seemed upset about something.

"Yeah, it is." Liz said, then she smiled ruefully. "Dad found about Jack and I."

Kathleen grimaced. Oh, that was definitely bad. Herb Brooks was a protective father, he was also a man who did not appreciate things being kept from him. "How bad was it?"

"He was furious." Liz confided, confirming Kathleen's suspicions. "We haven't had a real conversation since."

"Liz, you knew he was going to be upset." Kathleen pointed out reasonably.

"Yeah, I know." Liz said with a sigh. "I just hoped to put it off as long as possible."

Kathleen nodded. "I know." She felt bad for Liz, but another part of her felt that Liz had brought it all on herself with all the secrets and running around. 

"So, what else?" Kathleen asked after a moment. "I know that there's something else bugging you, I can tell." 

"Jack wants me to go to Boston with him." Liz told her softly.

Kathleen raised an eyebrow. "To visit? Meet his parents, that sort of thing? Because that would make sense, after all you two have been together for a few months now."

It was true, part of her still had a hard time thinking of Liz with anybody other than Rob, but the truth was Liz and Jack had been a couple, though secretly, for a while now.

Liz shook her head. "He wants me to move to Boston with him."

Kathleen stared at her best friend. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was just, wow.

"Like live together, or live in the same city, but maintain different residences, or get engaged or what?" She demanded.

"I don't know." Liz admitted.

"You don't know?" Kathleen repeated incredulously. "Don't you think that you _should _know?" 

After all, this a life-changing decision Liz was about to make.

And it would change just Liz's life. Kathleen tried to imagine what it would be like if Liz moved to Boston and they couldn't see each other whenever they wanted. They'd been friends for almost as long as Kathleen could imagine and they'd always been in the same city, but she had to have know that would change sometime. It always did.

"Probably." Liz agreed with a small laugh. "I was just too shell-shocked to ask exactly what he had in mind."

"Well, you probably should." Kathleen told her. "So, do you want to go?" That, of course, was the real question.

"I don't know." Liz answered after a moment. "I love him, I really do, but..." 

"But?" Kathleen prodded.

"A part of me is still really unsure about whether it's enough for me to move away from everything and everyone I know." Liz confided.

"I think that's a question you need to answer pretty soon." Kathleen told her gently.

"Yeah. You think?" Liz said ruefully.

"Is it Mac?" Kathleen asked shrewdly, looking directly at Liz. Her friend stared at her.

"Huh?" Kathleen sighed.

She should have known that Liz hadn't even considered that possibility--after all sometimes she knew Liz better than she knew herself.

"Mac, is he the reason that you're not sure?" Kathleen asked her quietly.

Liz stopped and stared at her and Kathleen knew she was thinking about what she had just heard.

"I think you need to decide once and for all how you feel about Rob before you can figure out how you feel about Jack." Kathleen told her, guessing her friend's thoughts. "And that means dealing with it honestly, not just telling yourself you're over him because you want to be. You need to do some serious self-examination."

Liz made a face, but nodded.

Kathleen knew her words were being considered. She decided to take her opportunity to leave Liz alone with her thoughts. 

"I'm gonna go find Mark now, is that okay?" She asked, she had wanted to see Liz first, but she was kind of anxious to see Mark.

"Go on ahead." Liz told her with a smile.

Kathleen nodded and headed for the door.

* * *

"Hey you." Mark said, greeting Kathleen with a hug. "I've missed you." 

"I've missed you too." She told him, leaning against him.

It was odd, she didn't usually miss guys. They were either there or they weren't, it usually held no importance to her.

That might have been why there had been a lot of guys in the last few years. Kathleen wasn't Liz, happiest when there was _one_ guy. She liked guys, but usually when she tried to settle down with one guy, he started to irritate her or she got bored, so she moved on.

With Mark it was different, she thought about him when he wasn't there and he hadn't bored her or pissed her off yet. She didn't do serious, yet it was starting to feel serious.

"I'm glad you're here." He told her, giving her a kiss.

"I'm glad I'm here too." She said with a smile.

"Did you see Liz yet?" He asked.

Kathleen nodded. "Yeah, I went there first. I figured you wouldn't mind and since I was arriving with Patti and the kids--"

"Kath, it's fine." Mark said with a smile. "I don't mind that you greeted Liz first, she's your best friend."

Kathleen smiled slightly. This was odd, in her experience at this point, guys got weird, they wanted to be your first priority and got pissy when they weren't.

"She told me about O.C." Kathleen said softly. "He's still on the roster?"

"Yeah." Mark said. "We're all really grateful about that. He's part of this whole package and injured or not, I don't think we can do this without him. We're a family."

"I know." Kathleen said with a smile. "Herb knows about Jack and Liz." 

Mark blinked. "_Really_? When did that happen?" 

"I'm not sure." Kathleen told him. "All I know is that he's not happy about it."

"Well, they had to know that he wouldn't be." Mark said, running his fingers through Kathleen's hair. "But I guess it means that they can stop hiding."

"Yeah. It does, but you know I don't think I want to talk about Liz and Jack any longer." Kathleen said winding her arms around his neck. "I've missed you." 

"I've missed you too." Mark said, giving her a quick kiss. "I know we're not talking about Jack and Liz, but I gotta say, I envy Jack having his girlfriend around all the time. It would be kinda nice to always have you around."

"Well, as much fun as it would have been to drop out of school and follow you guys around on your rather boring pre-Olympic schedule, I think Herb would have objected." Kathleen said with a grin. "Besides, I'm around for the next two weeks. I'll be cheering on every game and around for every free moment that you have."

"I'm counting on it." Mark said with a smile, before kissing her again. "So you going to be there, cheering for me?"

"Your own personal cheerleader." Kathleen said, smiling up at him. 

"Now, can we stop talking?" Mark grinned. "Sounds good to me."

He kissed her again, this time deeper and more passionately before and no more words were spoken.

* * *


	3. Part Two: Conversations

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Two- Conversations  
  
**_The XII Winter Olympics, Day Two_**

Kathleen knocked on the door of the room Mark and Rob were sharing.

Mark answered with a grin. "How was lunch?" He asked, letting her in. She'd gone with Elizabeth and Jack to meet Gloria for lunch.

"Interesting." Kathleen said with a smile. "Gloria's quite the character, but she's a neat lady."

"Sounds interesting." Mark said with a smile, as they both sat down on the bed. "What's your grandmother like?"

Kathleen paused. "I have two of them, actually." She answered them. "And I guess, well, they're grandmothers. Pretty typical and nothing like Gloria." 

"When do I get to meet them?" Mark asked her. "And your parents, when do I get to meet your parents?"

Kathleen froze. "You want to meet my parents?"

"Is that so strange?" Mark asked. "I like you. Of course I want to meet your parents."

"Well, I guess not." Kathleen told him, then she sighed. "Mark, my parents aren't like Liz's."

"I hope not." Mark said with a grin. "I don't know if I could handle another Herb." 

"That's not what I meant." Kathleen told him. "Patti and Herb, they're great parents. They've always been really involved in Liz's life and she's never doubted that they love her. My parents aren't like that."

"What do you mean?" Mark asked softly.

"My mom's really demanding." Kathleen said softly. "She's always pushing me to be the best and whatever I do, it's not good enough, I need to do better. My dad, well he's just not around, even when he is around. I think she drives him nuts too, so that's why he's so distant, he just tunes it all out."

"I'm sorry." Mark said softly. "That sucks."

She smiled at him. She knew he was close to his parents, his dad had even been his coach in Wisconsin, so her situation was probably as foreign to him as it was to Liz.

"It's okay." She said softly. "I've learnt to live with it. Besides, they don't even realize that they've been bad parents, after all it's not like I've ever lacked for anything. They've been very good to me when it comes to _things_ and they don't realize that there are other ways to neglect a child." 

Kathleen stopped, kind of surprised at herself. She had never really shared that point of view with anyone before.

Mark wrapped his arm around her. "Well, I still think they're bad parents." He said quietly. "We'll have to see what we can do to make up for them."

She looked up at him, with wide eyes. No one, not even LIz, had ever made an offer like that. To try and make up for what she had lost.

She had only known Mark a few months, hardly long enough for it to be anything, yet... If that was true, why did it feel so serious, so special?

* * *

"So does Gloria approve?" Kathleen asked Liz a couple hours later.

She had left Mark so that he could prepare for the game against Sweden, the fist of the Olympics. She knew Liz would be busy too, but she thought she'd at least check in with her friend.

"She does." Liz said with a smile. "Apparently I have good taste."

"I could have told you that." Kathleen said with a smile. "Your taste in men has never been in doubt." 

"Thanks." Liz said with a smile. "It's just everything else, huh?"

"You'll figure it out, Lizzie." Kathleen said, using the petform of Liz name that was usually reserved for Rob and Herb.

Liz smiled. "Thanks, I certainly hope so." She sighed. "It's not easy." 

"I don't think it's supposed to be." Kathleen said quietly. "After all, the best things never are."

She had to agree with LIz, that this whole adult relationship thing was complicated. More so than she liked, after all, she normally tried to avoid complicated.

Well, at least her situation wasn't nearly as complicated as Liz's. After all, _she_ only had to deal with one guy.

"How's Mark?" LIz asked her.

"Feeling more and more serious every day." Kathleen confessed. "I don't feel like bailing, yet, and I should. After all, it's what I do."

"Well, Mark's special." Liz told her. 

"He definitely is." Kathleen agreed quietly. "It's kind of frightening, though."

"That I can definitely understand." Liz told her. "I think it's _supposed _to be frightening."

Kathleen grinned. "It certainly is that." She stood up. "I should leave you, since I know you've got stuff to do."

"Thanks." Liz said with a smile. "Not that I wouldn't hang out with you, but..."

"I understand." Kathleen told her. "I'll see you later, maybe after the game."

With that Kathleen turned and left the room, knowing that her friend had a lot to do. After all, she was there for fun, Liz wasn't."

* * *


	4. Part Three: The Sweden Game

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Three: The Sweden Game  
  
Kathleen sat in the stands, watching the entire game.

The first period wasn't exactly the best hockey she'd ever seen. The guys all played like they were intimidated and they let Sweden get the early lead.

However, they came back from intermission, playing much better and Kathleen had to wonder what had gone on in that dressing room. She knew Herb and she would be willing to bet that he had some harsh words for his team. She was kind of surprised that Rob, who had gone down with about five minutes left in the period was playing, but she figured it was just something that she wasn't privy too.

Still, despite the fact that the guys were playing much better, they were still trailing 2-1 as the third period was coming to an end. Kathleen knew that losing even one game didn't bode well for the team's chances of making it to the medal round and she was tense as the time kept ticking down.

Suddenly, with only seconds left, Baker scored. Kathleen stood up, cheering loudly. A moment later, the game was over, the USA having managed to tie.

Kathleen grinned, it might just be a tie, but oh what an amazing tie it was...

* * *

"Kathleen, come back with us." Mark invited after he had showered and cleaned up. "We're going to go hang out back in our rooms for a while." 

"Yeah, we'd love to have you around." Dave Christian piped it. "Probably make Liz feel better, not being the only girl."

Kathleen smiled, considering that. She knew her friend occasionally got lonely being the only one around with a Y chromosome, besides it did sound like fun and she always enjoyed hanging out with the guys.

"Sounds like fun." Kathleen said as Mark wrapped his arm around her shoulders. 

"Great." Mark told her and lead her over to where some of the other guys, plus Liz, were waiting. "Kathleen's going to come back with us." He told them.

Liz grinned at her. "Good, then I don't have to be the only female." 

"Always happy to please." Kathleen said with a smile, leaning up against Mark.

"Come on, let's head back." Jack said, his arm around Elizabeth. "We can't just stand around here all night."

* * *

"I'll walk you out." Mark said about an hour later, when Kathleen stood to leave.

It was getting late and the guys needed to get some rest, plus she had to get back to her hotel, just outside the Olympic Village. Most of the guys had dispersed and there were only a few people left in Mark and Robbie's room.

She smiled at him. "Okay, that'd be nice."

They walked down the hall together.

"I'm having dinner with my parents tomorrow." Mark told her quietly.

"That's nice." She told him with a smile.

"I want you to come with me." Mark said softly.

Kathleen blinked. She didn't even think Liz had met Jack's parents yet, though no doubt that would happen during the next two weeks. Yet, it seemed odd for her to take that step before Liz, given that Liz and Jack's relationship was so much more serious. Yet, was that really grounds for her to refuse the invite?

"That sounds... nice." Kathleen said finally, not finding any reason not to agree.

Mark grinned. "Great, I was hoping you'd say that. Don't worry, they'll adore you."

Kathleen smiled weakly, hoping he was right. She'd never gotten to this step before, the meeting the parents step and she was kind of terrified. She wondered if that was a good sign.

* * *


	5. Part Four: Family Talk

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Rating in Prologue.  
_  
_A.N- I honestly have no idea how old Herb Brooks' children were in 1980, but in the movie they looked fairly young, so I just made it up. I think the ages are appropriate. That's all for now, enjoy!  
_  
Part Four: Family Talk

**_The XII Winter Olympics, Day Three_**

"So you guys pretty much have a free day?" Kathleen asked the guys over breakfast.

Liz had invited her along, which she thought was cool. She ended up hanging out with them a lot, which might make sense given that she was dating one of them. 

"Pretty much." Jack answered. "We have a short practice this afternoon, but that's about it. The rest of the day is ours to do with what we please."

"As rare as that is." Dave Silk chimed in.

"So what are you going to do with all your time?" Kathleen inquired.

"I think most of us are meeting up with our parents at some point during the day." Mike Ramsey told her.

"That sounds like fun." Kathleen said with a smile.

"It should be." Rizzo told her. "I know all our parents are anxious to see us, since they haven't really spent much time with us since last summer." 

"Where as I'm getting kind of sick you, because I haven't been rid of you since last summer." Liz teased them all. 

"Oh, come on, you know you love us." Mike teased back. "You're going to miss us."

"Maybe a little." Liz said with a smile, but Kathleen knew she was just teasing. She knew Liz was really going to miss all of the guys. 

Hell, _she_ was going to miss them and she hadn't even gotten to know them nearly as well as Liz had. It seemed odd to realize that in a few weeks, they wouldn't be sitting around having breakfast together.

Suddenly, Kathleen thought of Mark. Soon he wouldn't be in Minnesota any longer. So what would happen then? Would she lose him? Would they continue to date long-distance?

She didn't know and it scared her how much she cared. She wasn't at all prepared to say good-bye to Mark, even though she had always known he would leave. Somehow, she felt more than she had intended and she didn't know what to do about it.

* * *

"Mom, Dad, this is Kathleen Andersen." Mark introduced. "Kathleen, these are my parents."

Bob Johnson gave her a friendly smile. "It's nice to meet you, Kathleen."

"It's nice to meet you too." She said with a warm smile.

"Mark's told us a lot about you." Anne Johnson said, giving her a hug. 

Kathleen shot Mark a look. Really? They'd only known been dating for a few months and not even that seriously, at least not until now, yet he'd talked to his parents about her?

"He talks about you at lot, too." Kathleen said after a moment. "It's really nice to meet you guys."

"This is my sister Laura." Mark said, moving onto the pretty young woman standing next to his mother.

Laura grinned at her. "So you're the girl who Mark's tricked into dating him, huh? It's because he's on the Olympic team, isn't it? It has to be."

Katherine smiled. "I admit it, that's the whole appeal."

"Hey!" Mark protested, reaching out to hook Kathleen around the waist. "What about my handsome face and incredible charm?"

"Oh, is that why?" Kathleen asked with a grin.

Anne smiled at her. "Aren't you two cute?"

Kathleen blushed, feeling awkward once more. She had never had to do the 'meet the parents' thing before and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

* * *

"So what did you think?" Mark asked later, when they walked back to his hotel. 

"I liked them." Kathleen told him honestly.

"They liked you too." Mark assured her, his arm firm around her waist. "Especially, Laura."

Kathleen smiled, Mark's sister had been very friendly and bubbly, and the two girls had made plans to spend some time together in the next few days. Though, Kathleen thought she might invite Liz along as a buffer so that it didn't seem too weird.

"She was great." Kathleen told Mark with a smile. "Really friendly."

Mark smiled back. "She is great." He said fondly. "Annoying at times, but usually we get along pretty good."

"I envy you that." Kathleen told him with a sigh. "It's one of the things that sucks about being an only child."

"It must get lonely." Mark commented, pulling her a little closer to her. 

"It does." Kathleen told him. "Maybe that's why Liz and I are so close, we understand each other's loneliness." 

"Doesn't she have siblings, though?" Mark asked her.

Kathleen nodded. "Danny and Kelly. But Kelly's ten and Danny's eight, that's a huge age difference." She pointed out, then she smiled fondly. "I remember when Kelly was born, we were in the 6th grade. Liz offered to share her with me, make her both of ours little sister."

"That's sweet." Mark said with a smile.

"It was." Katherine agreed. "Of course, we were always like sisters ourselves."

"You guys do seem really close." Mark commented.

"Always." Kathleen said with a smile. "Liz means the world to me and I have no idea what I'd ever do without her."

* * *


	6. Part Five: Other People's Problems

The Best Years of Our Lives  
By Misha

_Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.  
_  
Part Five: Other People's Problems

"Something's bugging Liz." Mark commented later that evening.

"Yeah." Kathleen confirmed with a sigh. "She's not sure what she's feeling about Jack and about Robbie."

Mark let out an exclamation. "That's not good."

"No, it's not." Kathleen confirmed. "She and Robbie have a lot of history and she never really dealt with it properly. She just tried to forget it ever happened."

"What did happen?" Mark asked curiously. "I mean I know they were involved, everyone knows that, but they never talk about it."

"No." Kathleen agreed, she sighed. "It's pretty simple really, they met in '75, when Robbie started at the U and there was a connection right away and they became friends and by the fall of '76, they were a steady thing."

Kathleen paused, remembering Liz and Robbie as they'd been back then. "They were that perfect college couple." She told Mark. "They were so in love and they were really good friends as well and they just seemed meant to be." 

"Apparently not." Mark said dryly.

"No." Kathleen said quietly. "Last January, Rob broke up with her because he wanted to be with another girl, this chick named Jennifer. Liz was devastated."

"Rob's an idiot." Mark stated flatly. "I take it he and this Jennifer didn't work out?" 

"Barely lasted a month." Kathleen confirmed. "By that point, Rob had realized what a huge mistake he'd made, but it was too late. Liz didn't even want to be in the same room with him, let alone take him back, and he kept trying to pretend that nothing had changed, at least friendship-wise."

"Rob really is an idiot." Mark said again, shaking his head in disgust. "No wonder there was so much tension between he and Liz when all this started."

"Yeah." Kathleen agreed. "Now she has Jack, but Rob's still there in the back of her mind..." 

"Definitely complicated." Mark agreed and then he took Kathleen's hand in his. "However, Liz is a big girl and she's got to figure it out by herself."

Kathleen sighed. "I know. It's just..."

"I understand." Mark told her, wrapping his arms around her. "She's your best friend and you care a lot about her, but you can't make her decisions for her and fight her demons. She has to do that herself. She has to figure out what it is she wants. She owes it to both Robbie and Jack, as well as herself, to figure it out."

* * *

Kathleen walked Mark back to his hotel at the end of the night, just as they were about to go to his room, she froze. For Liz was leaving Robbie's room, a faraway expression on her face.

"I think a decision has been made." She murmured to Mark.

"Maybe." He agreed.

Kathleen started to go after Liz, but Mark held her back. "She'll come to you when she's ready." He told her. "For now, just let her handle it on her own."

Kathleen made a face. "Do I have to?"

Mark just looked at her. Kathleen sighed. "Yeah, I guess your right, I just..." 

"I understand." Mark said, giving her a quick kiss. 

"I'm gonna head back to my room." Kathleen told him. "Depending on what just happened, Rob might not be in the mood to have people around."

"Yeah, maybe not." Mark agreed. He put his hand on Kathleen's face. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok." Kathleen agreed, giving him a quick before turning and walking down the hall, her mind turning from him to her best friend. She hoped that Liz had gotten everything sorted out and decided once and for all what it was that she wanted.

* * *


End file.
